Fire-escape.



J. MARTIN.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1915.

1,159,975, Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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nnTTan sTaTns EPATENT oTTTcn.

JAMES MARTIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Application filed February 20,. 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved fire escape apparatus by means of which persons may escape from elevated portions of a burning building and be lowered safely to the ground, and the car will then automatically return to its original elevated position and permit the escape of other persons, so that the car and the apparatus may be used successively by a number of persons in escaping from the building, and the apparatus will require no attendance from persons stationed on the ground.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fire escape apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same arranged in normal position on the wall of a building, and with a portion of the lowering spring broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and partly a section of the same, showing the escape apparatus in raised normal position in full lines and indicating the same in lowered position in dotted lines.

In accordance with my invention, the wall of a building on which the escape apparatus is used is provided at a suitable elevation with a support 1 which is here shown as a bracket that projects outwardly from said wall. At a suitable height above the support 1 the wall is also provided with a second support 2 which is here shown as a substantially U-shaped bracket. A pulley 3 is mounted in the second support 2, the axle 4 of the pulley having its bearings in the side walls of said second support. A cord 5, which in practice is preferably a wire cable, engages the inner side of the pulley and is provided at its lower end with a weight 6.

The upper end of the cord is attached to a spring bar which is here shown as of substantially inverted V-shape, the arms 8 of said spring bar diverging downwardly and being pivotally mounted at their lower ends, as at 9, on suitable brackets 10 which are secured to and project outwardly from the wall. A cushioning spring 11 is here shown Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 9,673.

as a coiled extensile having its upper end secured to the second support 2 and arranged around the cord 5 and in the path of the weight 6. A cage or car 12 is also provided for persons seeking to escape from the building, and this car or cage may be of the construction here shown, or of any other suitable construction. Normally it rests on the support 1. A lowering spring 13, which is also a coiled eXtensile spring, has its upper end attached, as at 14, to the upper end of the spring bar and its lower end attached, as at 15, and by means of a ring 16 and links 17 to the cage or car. Guides 18, which are vertically arranged, are also on the wall of the building and-serve to direct the vertical movements of the weight. Guy springs 19 are also provided which are arranged on opposite sides of the spring bar, their outer ends being attached, as at 20, to the wall of the building, and their inner ends being atgached, as at 21, to the arms of the spring Normally, my improved fire escape apparatus is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2, with the cage or car on the support 1, the spring bar arranged straight and extending outwardly and upwardly from the wall of the building and with the weight 6 in lowered position. In order to escape from the building in the event of fire, one or more persons push the cage from the support 1 and get in the cage, and immediately thereafter the weight thus added to the cage causes the latter to descend to the ground, the spring 13 lengthening and yielding to the weight of the cage, the spring bar also bending outwardly and downwardly, and the cord 5 being drawn by the spring bar so as to cause the weight 6 to be raised. The parts are so proportioned that when the cage in thus lowering reaches a short distance from the ground the weight 6 en gages the spring 11, and hence its upward movement is arrested and cushioned, and, therefore, the cage is prevented from being jarred when it reaches the ground, the spring bar, the lowering spring 13, and the cushioned weight, automatically controlling the descent of the cage and rendering it easy and agreeable to the occupants. As soon as the persons get out of the cage or car the spring bar raises, this being assisted by the weight 6, and the lowering spring 13 also contracts, so that the cage is returned to its original position on the support 1.

Owing to the construction and arrangement madein the form, proportions and arrange ment of the respective parts without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a fire escape apparatus, a support, a cage to normally rest thereon, a pulley mounted above the support, a bar mounted to swing vertically and arranged above the o support, a cord attached to said bar and engaged with said pulley and having a weight atits lower end, and a connectlon between the cage and the said bar to cause the bar to swing outwardly and to lower the cage when the latter is moved from the support, said bar being a spring bar and bend able downwardly while the cage is being lowered, 2. In a fire escape apparatus, a support,

7 a cage to normally rest thereon, a pulley mounted above the support, a bar mounted Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

movement of the weight when the cage low ers and absorb shock. t r

3. In a fire escape apparatus, a support, a cage to normally rest thereon, a pulley mounted above the support, a bar mounted to swing'vertically and arranged aboverthe support, a cord attached tosaid bar and engaged with said pulley and having a weight at its lower end, and a connection between the cage and the saidbarto cause the barto swing outwardly and to lower, the cage when the latter is moved from the support, said bar being a spring bar and bendable downwardl while the ca e is bein lowered, said spring bar being i ofsubstantially inverted U-shape, and guy springs arranged on opposite sides or and connected to the arms of the spring bar. a

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence 0]": two witnesses.

Witnesses:

IVILLIAM MARTIN, CI-IASLA. MARTIN.

Washington, D; 0;

' JAMES MARTIN. 3 

